This work isn’t easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything

It was a surreal moment. I had already been standing in the crowd for half an hour, but suddenly the reality of what I was experiencing hit me. I couldn’t hold back a huge grin, which set off a chorus of laughter from the people around me. This felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Even as that thought crossed my mind, I hoped that it wouldn’t be.

It was Christmas Day. I stood on the fringe of a large group of people, my neck weighed down by strands of beads. My ears were filled with the chants of deep-voiced men telling ancient stories. Whoops and calls arose from the women and children. Everywhere I looked, people were dressed in glaring neon colors. The straw that normally filled ear and nose piercings had been replaced by dazzling jewelry. The dark, shining skin of these beautiful young men and women made the colors of their warrior hats and beaded headdresses stand out even more brightly.

I had been watching for a while when a teenage girl beside me grabbed my hand and flashed me a huge grin. I guess she could tell that this amusugut wanted to join the dance. She watched the men in the circle, and I kept my eyes on her. When it was time for us to jump, she squeezed my hand and glanced at me. I tried to keep up, though I couldn’t figure out the pattern. I jumped as high as I could, straight into the air. After five jumps in a row which I had actually managed to execute on time, she laughed and said “Ejok jik!” Good completely!

At one point during the dance, I looked at the circle of strong, confident young men and lamented that it was unlikely that any of them were Christians. The church here is small, and there are no indigenous pastors or elders in Nakaale. My heart burned with a desire to see some of those men leading churches. But in this culture, so bound by alcohol and polygamy, so influenced by superstition and witchcraft, and so illiterate, how much would one of these bright-eyed, energetic, popular young men have to face in order to break away and stand for Christ?

Pray that the missionaries would have wisdom in how to reach these men with the gospel, that the Holy Spirit might work among them, and that some would be raised up to lead God’s people here in Karamoja.

Christmas is over, and it’s back to the daily grind. My days are full of lesson planning, teaching, taking Karamojong language lessons, cooking, cleaning, and enjoying good fellowship with the Orthodox Presbyterian missionaries I’m serving alongside. I love my work! I teach seven amazing missionary kids every day. They make me cry with laughter and give the mission an energy and humor that is so needed in a remote place.

It’s not easy living here. Tasks that would be simple at home take twice as long, the heat can make us tired and grumpy, and the workload never seems to ease up. Power is scarce so we have to make the best use of daylight to do our work, and you’ll usually find us exhausted and ready for bed by 9 p.m. (“missionary midnight”). But I wouldn’t trade this for anything. It is worth every small sacrifice, every thorn, every snake scare, every frustration, to be out here on the frontier of Christ’s church.

Even though I’m only here for a few months, and I’m merely a spectator to this work that the missionaries have been toiling at for 10 years, I feel so tied to this place already. There is a simple, deep friendship that I’m developing with the Karimojong believers. I may not be able to say more than a few words to them now, but I can feel that eternal bond when we greet each other. I rejoice to think of the eternity I will spend with these dear people.

Pray that God will keep the Christians here strong in the face of temptation and persecution. Pray that they would not fall back into the sins and addictions that characterized their lives before they were saved, particularly violence and alcoholism. Pray that they would live as Christ’s ambassadors in the villages, and that their families and friends would see their lives and want to know the Savior who has given them such hope, love, and patient endurance.

Pray for me and the missionaries as well, that we would be faithful to do our work well and would not become discouraged. Pray for our health and safety. Pray that we would love one another each day, regardless of the circumstances, and that the Karimojong would see our love and recognize our true faith by our works. Pray for spiritual strength, especially for the pastors.

For thousands of years, this region was firmly under the influence of the devil. Now the light has come to this dark place, but Satan will not give up Karamoja without a fight. We know that the victory is already won; Christ stands as king over every inch of this earth, Nakaale included. But until He comes again, pray for those seeking to advance His kingdom in hard places.

May God raise up dozens of men in the RPCNA ready to give up everything for the sake of this amazing mission He’s given us. The sacrifice you make now is nothing in light of eternity! You will never regret a decision to go, to proclaim, to disciple the nations for the King.

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” (John 4: 34-38)